title: A sock for foot-drop: a preliminary study on two chronic stroke patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Foot-drop is a common motor impairment of chronic stroke patients, which may be addressed with an ankle foot orthosis. Although there is reasonable evidence of effectiveness for ankle foot orthoses, user compliance is sometimes poor. This study investigated a new alternative to the ankle foot orthosis, the dorsiflex sock.
  
  
  METHODS
  The dorsiflex sock was evaluated using an A-B single case experimental design. Two community-dwelling, chronic stroke patients with foot-drop participated in this study. Measures were selected to span the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health domains and user views on the dorsiflex sock were also collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The dorsiflex sock was not effective in improving participants' walking symmetry, speed or energy expenditure. Participant 1 showed improvement in the distance he could walk in 6 min when using the dorsiflex sock, but this was in keeping with a general improvement trend over the course of this study. However, both participants viewed the dorsiflex sock positively and reported a positive effect on their walking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite positive user perceptions, the study found no clear evidence that dorsiflex sock is effective in improving foot-drop.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the dorsiflex sock offers an attractive alternative to an ankle foot orthosis, the case studies found no clear evidence of its efficacy. Clinicians should view this device with caution until further research becomes available.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK S.Prenton@salford.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prenton
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK.
authors.forename: Laurence Pj
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Kenney
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, The Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University Prosthetics and Orthotics Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Major
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D061826:Foot Orthoses; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Foot-drop; dorsiflex sock; evaluation studies; gait; gait analysis; hemiplegia; lower limb orthotics; orthotics; stroke; study design